


Goodbye For Now But Not Forever

by justthehiddles



Series: Meeting Your Heroes [3]
Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Comic-Con, Friendship, Gen, New Friends, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Tom is a popinjay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23683051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justthehiddles/pseuds/justthehiddles
Summary: The last day of the con is upon us what will the future hold for the reader and Tom’s budding friendship.
Relationships: Tom Hiddleston & Reader
Series: Meeting Your Heroes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689112
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	Goodbye For Now But Not Forever

Your heart grew heavy on Sunday morning. Today was the last day of the comic-con and the end of this surreal experience of hanging out with Tom Hiddleston. And soon you would be back to reality, back to the slightly less extraordinary. But you promised yourself you would enjoy every moment until you had to drive back home.

As you waited to enter the arena, your phone buzzed. You fished it out of your purse and saw the initials TH. You drew in a quick breath.

 _Go to the information booth when you get in._

You smiled at the text. You typed back:

_That guy is going to think I’m your girlfriend._

The line moved forward, and your phone beeped again.

_You’ve watched too many movies. See you soon._

You giggled just as you reached the security guard, who gave you a strange face. You were getting used to the con staff wondering about you.

You beelined to the information booth. You breathed a sigh of relief when you saw a young girl sitting there instead of the same guy from the past two days. You gave her your name, and she smiled as she fished out an envelope.

“You are a lucky girl. Go down to the convention floor. Ask for Michael, show him this badge and he will take you where you are supposed to go.”

You peeked inside and found an ID badge, but it didn’t resemble any of the other VIP badges you had seen on the convention floor. It looked more like the staff badges. You followed the instructions and made your way down to the floor. You reached a makeshift black curtain.

“I was told to ask for Michael?” You ended your sentence on an uptick. This entire thing made your stomach churn. What if something went wrong? You pondered as a tall bald man appeared from behind the curtain.

“You were asking for Michael?” he asked in a booming voice.

You fumbled with the envelope and wrapped the badge around your neck. “I… I… have a badge.” You held it up for Michael to see.

His face showed no recognition of the badge, but he pulled the curtain back. “I’ll show you the way.”

You nodded and followed him into the backstage area. He took you from one hallway to another and soon you appeared in front of a non-descript door.

“Come in.”

Michael opened the door and smiled at Tom. “Your guest is here, Mr. Hiddleston.”

“Thank you so much, Michael!” Tom clapped the man on his beefy shoulder and Michael disappeared from wherever he came from, door clicking behind him.

“What the fuck is going on?” you blurted out as Tom sat back down on a couch.

“I thought you could use some company today.” Tom gave you a closed lip smile.

“I think that is the other way around.” you giggled as you sat down opposite of him.

“That may be but I got you here.” Tom crossed his long legs in front of him.

“You don’t have enough entourage to listen to talk all day?” you snapped back.

Tom let loose a full-blown belly laugh, his head falling backwards. “None that make me laugh like you do.”

“You don’t hang around with the right kind of people.”

“So I have been told. Will you keep me company today? You can come and go as you please. That badge will get you back here.”

You narrowed your eyes at Tom, who threw you an exaggerated face of pleading. “How can I say no to such a pitiful face? It’s clear you are in desperate need of companionship.”

“Nice choice of words. Thank you. Now I have a few autograph and photo op sessions plus the panel at the end of the day. Outside of that, I’m all yours.”

Tom picked up a plate of pastries and offered one to you. You selected a croissant and pulled at the end. “Words to every fangirls’ ears.” you mumbled as you chewed.

Tom picked up a donut and took a big bite. “Now…” he wiped his hands on a napkin. “… where is this infamous planner?”

You choked on flakes of croissant. “You were serious about that?”

“Did you not promise I could see it if I cleaned my hands?” He flashed his hands in a jazz hand fashion. “I am curious.”

“Fine.” you groused as you dug in your purse to pull out the planner. You set a fabric pouch on your lap as you searched. Tom snatched the pouch off your lap.

“Are those miniature mes?” He held up the pouch.

“Yes.” You lurched to grab it back, but Tom leaned backwards and you tumbled from your chair.

“And it is… that… am I naked in the last one?” He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

“I didn’t draw them.” You stood and lunged again. Tom held it high above his head and you jumped, landing against his legs.

The door creaked open, and you scrambled away. Tom covered his mouth to suppress his laughter as a convention employee peeked her head in.

“Mr. Hiddleston?” Her eyes darted between you sitting awkwardly on the chair and Tom sitting on the couch, his shoulders shaking while he covered his mouth. “Fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you, Emily.” Tom choked, which earned another weird glance before she closed the door.

You grabbed your journal and smacked Tom in the arm. “Not fucking funny, Tom!”

Tom doubled over at the waist in a fit of laughter. “I beg to differ. Your face. Priceless. I wish I had a picture.”

“For blackmail? People will get the wrong idea!”

Tom settled down back onto the couch. “You are awfully concerned with appearances. I have an entire team who worries about that. Including your doppelganger, Luke. Relax and have an enjoyable time.”

“I am a natural worrier.”

Tom took your hands and rang his thumbs over the knuckles. “Just be the you that writes that blog.” You nodded. “Now… I have some autographs to sign. Come.”

You followed Tom back along the hallways until you reached a tangle of black curtains.

“Wait here and feel free to peek around the curtain.”

The staffer pulled up a chair for you and smiled. “Let me know if you need anything.”

You thanked him and whipped your phone out to catch up on email and social media. Every so often you would hear squealing or yelling on the other side of the curtain. You would peek and see an excited fan in front of Tom. One time you giggled a bit too loud and Tom spun around and narrowed his eyes at you.

“Don’t worry I got the same glare all the time during rehearsals.”

You jumped and spun in your spot. “Holy fuck! Charlie Cox!”

“In the flesh. And you are?”

You sputtered out your name and shook his hand.

“Ah, the girl with the blog. Pleasure.”

“How do you know—Are you telling me Tom told you about me?”

Charlie chuckled. “He has spoken about you more than once this weekend. All good things. Do you really have a notebook with a Loki sticker on the front?”

You rolled your eyes and pulled your planner out and flashed it at Charlie. He grabbed it and pulled it closer.

“That is amazing. Can I look inside?”

“Sure. I am not sure why the two of you are so fascinated by it.” You handed it over.

Charlie flipped through the pages. “You draw all this?”

“Yup.”

“Very talented. Is that a little Loki sticker?”

You peered over. “Yes. I didn’t draw the stickers.”

“Has Tom seen this?” Charlie raised his eyebrows.

“Not yet. But not for lack of trying. He got distracted by my pen pouch the last time.”

“Pen pouch? Let me see.” Charlie gestured, and you fished out your pouch.

Charlie turned it over in his hands. He squinted at the small characters dotted on the outside.

“Is that Tom? Naked?” he questioned.

You snatched it back. “Why does everyone always notice the naked one first?”

Charlie laughed.

“What is so funny?” Tom asked as he pulled back the curtain. “Should I be worried?”

Charlie pulled himself together. “She,” Charlie jabbed his thumb in your direction. “was just commenting on how much you enjoy looking at yourself naked.”

Your mouth dropped open. “I did not!” Your face flushed.

“Charlie stop teasing her.” Tom scolded. “Although I must admit I do look rather handsome as a tiny naked man.” He glanced at the pouch again.

You punched Tom in the arm. Hard.

“Ow.” Tom winced.

“Physical violence. I like her.” Charlie mused, pulling you against his side. “Have lunch with me? Bring Tom, if you must.” Charlie winked.

“Sure.” you muttered, still wondering how this had become your life.

“Great. Tom knows where it is. See you in a few hours.” Charlie hugged you and clapped Tom on the shoulder. “I like her a lot.”

When Charlie ducked behind the curtain, Tom turned and scowled. “I don’t know if I like this.”

-

You spent the rest of the morning wandering between backstage and the artist alley. You picked up some last pieces of art and gifts for friends. Tom pressed you to show him all the purchases.

“Why do you want to see?”

“Because I don’t get to visit without getting mobbed. Now out with them.” Tom tugged at your bags.

You pulled out several different prints. Tom oohed and aahed over each one, asking why you picked out each one.

“The stormtrooper one?”

“For my husband.”

“And this one?” he pointed to a small Thor print.

“My oldest daughter. Thor’s her boy.” Tom glanced to the side at you. “Her words, not mine.”

“That must wound you to the core.” Tom teased, flicking your Loki key chain.

“Not at all. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Even if they’re wrong.”

You packed up everything and Tom led you to lunch. Charlie was already seated and waved you over after you ladened your plate with food.

“So…” Charlie shoveled food into her mouth. “… I have heard the story from this one but I would like to hear it from you.”

Just as you opened your mouth to speak, Tom’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and pushed a button.

“I have to take this.” He walked away.

“Perfect.” Charlie smiled. “I can now get the story without any Hiddleston commentary.”

“There’s nothing much to tell. I created a blog pretending to be Tom’s publicist.”

“Ah, the infamous Luke Windsor. A formidable man.”

“As I was saying… I wrote this blog. Came here, got a picture autographed by him. I mentioned that I wrote the blog. The next thing I knew, he invited me to dinner. Twice! It is rather surreal.”

Charlie clapped his thighs. “That smooth son of a bitch.” He gave a low whistle.

“I’m married.”You narrowed your eyes at him.

“No! I didn’t mean it that way! Apologies.” Charlie waved his hands.

“Then what did you mean?”

“I just meant that only the great Tom Hiddleston could get someone he only met to go to dinner with him that same day.”

“I blame the accent.”

“Hey, I have an accent.” he protested.

“Fine, the hair.”

Charlie’s head dropped to his chest. “The hair is an entity all its own.”

“Ludicrous popinjay.”

“I beg your pardon. Ludicrous popinjay? Oh, I like that. Very fitting.”

“Yes, I did.” Tom’s voice pierced through the din of the room. His brow furrowed. “Yes, she’s here… At lunch. Yes, I did.” Tom caught you looking and rotated away from you. “We can discuss that at a later time. Yes, I’m handing the phone to her.”

Tom handed the phone to you. “He wants to speak to you.”

Your eyes darted between Tom and the phone.

“It’s Luke.” Tom offered, shaking the phone at you once again.

The blood drained from your face, and Charlie chuckled.

“Not helping Charlie.”

“Yeah.” you countered snatching the phone away. “Hello?”

“Well, if it isn’t the girl with the blog.” the voice on the other end.

“Mr. Windsor, sir. Look, I’m sorry—”

“Apologies are not needed. And Luke is just fine. I just wanted to say good on you for keeping that right bastard…” You spied up at Tom looking sheepish in front of you. “… in line this weekend. This is the most pleasant he has been in months.”

“Um… you’re welcome. I mean thank you.” you stumbled over the words.

“We must meet at some point. I hope you would consider coming to London.”

“Uh… yeah, that would be nice.”

“Excellent, well I won’t keep you any longer. Hand me back to the popinjay.”

You rolled your eyes and handed the phone. “Here you go.”

Tom smiled and placed the phone back to his ear. “Satisfied?”

He walked away to continue the conversation, and Charlie sat with a smug grin.

“What?” you questioned, stabbing your food with your fork

“Nothing.” he lied.

“I have two children. I can tell when someone is lying to me.”

“Luke likes you.”

“How can you tell?”

“He invited you to London, didn’t he?”

“How do you know that?”

“Because this is the most pleasant I have seen Tom in ages and Luke likes when Tom is in a good mood.”

“You make it sound so illicit, so indecent. I am just having a conversation with the man.”

“Exactly. Sometimes all we need is a friend who sees for who we really are.”

“You flatter me.”

“He does have the tendency to do that.” Tom sat back down next to you.

“I learned from the best.”

The three of you finished lunch with conversation and laughter.

You finished up the convention watching Tom’s panel from the wings. Tom smiled in your direction more than once. You shook your head and waved at him to turn around. The fans clamored as always and for what seemed to be minutes, everything was over and Tom was walking offstage.

“That’s it.” he commented. “Another done. How did you enjoy the view from the wings?”

“Delightful. So what happens now?” you wondered.

Tom smiled. “We go back to the room and I head to the hotel room to pack. I have a flight late tonight.”

“Oh.” For the first time this entire weekend you were disappointed.

“Walk with me.” Tom held out his elbow, which you accepted.

“This has been some weekend. I will never forget.” You continued to blather as the two of you reached the room. You helped Tom gather his things, and he gathered yours as well.

“My pleasure. I am very lucky to have met you this weekend. You are rather extraordinary.”

“I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done.”

“It would surprise you. This has been a memorable weekend for me as well. I hope we can continue this budding friendship.”

“Me too. But no strings. I know you are a busy man with demands upon your time.”

“As are you. A husband, a family and your job. I can only imagine.”

“Still, it’s not like I’m a movie star.”

“Nonsense.” Tom looked around the room. “I think that’s everything. Can I walk you to your car?”

“Please.” Tom donned a baseball hat, and you giggled. “Clever disguise.”

“It keeps working.”

Most of the crowds had dissipated as the two of you made your way to your car. Tom helped you load your purchases into the car.

“Well I guess this is goodbye.” you offered your hand.

“For now, but not forever.” Tom took your hand and shook it. You pulled him into a hug.

“Ludicrous popinjay.”

“Ridiculous person.”

You both sniffed that sentiment. Tom’s eyes jumped. “I almost forgot. Your planner and a pen please.”

Your brows knitted, but you pulled it out. Tom’s eyes glinted as he plucked it from your fingers.

“I know that look. Loki.” you taunted.

Tom shot a withering glance as he wrote on one of the pages.

“Hey!”

He held up a finger to silence you.

“There. Read it after I leave.” Tom spread his arms wide. “One more hug for the road?”

You nodded and allowed him to envelope you in his long arms. The fibers of his sweaters tickling against your face. He held you tight and before long you had to tap him on the shoulder.

“I can’t breathe again.” your words muffled against his sweater.

“Apologies.” Tom broke the embrace. “I will work on that for next time. Until then.”

“Until then.”

Tom nodded and turned to head back the way he came. You turned on the car but didn’t put it into park. Once Tom faded from view, you flipped open your planner to the page he wrote on. It was your future log. Under four months from now, Tom wrote:

Visit my good friend Tom in London. Have him meet the family. 

You smiled at the note and texted him.

_I’m not sure you want to meet the family._

Tom texted back right away.

_Well, now I have to. And you couldn’t even wait 5 minutes?_

_I was too nervous._

_Ridiculous person._

_Ludicrous popinjay._

You smiled as you plugged the phone in and headed home. You had no idea how you would keep all this a secret, but somehow you would manage.


End file.
